'Very big and exciting': Trump said the US and Britain are working on a post-Brexit trade deal

PA LONDON — US President Donald Trump reiterated his desire to do a trade deal with the United Kingdom shortly after it leaves the European Union, calling the bloc "very protectionist with the U.S" in a tweet sent on Tuesday afternoon.

"Working on major Trade Deal with the United Kingdom. Could be very big & exciting. JOBS! The E.U. is very protectionist with the U.S. STOP!" — the president tweeted.

It's not the first time Trump has talked about a deal with the UK, speaking earlier in July at the G20 summit about a "big" and "powerful" agreement between the two nations.

"We're working on a trade deal, which will be a very big deal, and a very powerful deal, great for both countries," he said as he met Prime Minister Theresa May in Hamburg. "And I think we'll have that done very, very quickly."

Britain could be made to accept chlorine-washed chickens as part of its post-Brexit trade deal with the US, under plans being pushed by International Trade Secretary Liam Fox.

Chlorinated chicken is currently banned from import under EU rules, along with the use of growth hormones in beef farming, the spraying of pig carcasses with lactic acid and the sale of unlabelled genetically modified food.

Europe has opposed the use of chemical cleaning due both to safety concerns and the fears that they could lead to laxer hygiene practices elsewhere in the supply chain.

However, the dropping of these rules is set to be part of future trade talks between the US and UK. The American Farming Association has previously insisted that Britain must come into line with the US.